hat trick, redux

Yesterday, I had dinner with the bfe. Yeah, once upon a time that seemed to be a fairly regular thing, but not these days. Our schedules have gone awry, but maybe that will change soon.
Tonight, I had dinner from him - and that was good. It had been a long day and I was relieved to not have to think about what was to be my dinner. The Smoked Mozzarella Chicken was at least as good, if not better, than it had been the night before. No, not leftovers - this was a full portion, part of their current promotion, "Buy One, Take One". So, he and I were able to enjoy a meal there, complete with soup and breadsticks, then each have a free meal to eat another night. Minus the soup and breadsticks. And minus each other's company.
The dinner had been his idea and his treat.
A very nice surprise. To be honest, I had thought we might be splitting the check. We once took turns picking up the tab, as friends do, but I had certainly lost track of whose "turn" it might be. Perhaps it was his turn? Still, it was a nice treat to not have to pay and to have another night's free dinner.
So, as I was dining tonight, I was inspired to do something nice for others.
And I realized that I have been doing so for my three brothers.
Another hat trick.
Unlike that previous occasion, when I had accomplished the feat in a single day, this has been spread out over slightly more than a week. Also, the trio of deeds will not be completed until Sunday, so, technically, I should have to wait until then to write about it. Right?
Probably. But I choose to do so now. I have time now.
As it is, I have truly only completed one task at this writing. Last Thursday, for my eldest brother, I worked for him for four hours. I had only intended to be there at his office for an hour or so, to prepare his monthly sales tax and his federal and state quarterly taxes. Well, that turned out to be a greater task than either of us had planned. So, after close to two hours had passed, he went off to another meeting and I stayed to continue wrestling with numbers.
By the time I had completed my initial goals, as well as updated his inventory and written some needed invoices, I thought I would catch up on some data entry for his subcontractors. You know, just do a little good deed, get that caught up, too.
Instead, I found he had not yet entered any of that information. For the entire year. And it's now the tenth month. Jeez.
Well, in for a penny, in for a pound, as they say. I slogged away at the task given myself until all of the checks written to labor subcontractors had been entered into the program. Done! Four hours of my time spent to better his work load and keep his business more organized. Definitely a good deed.
Yesterday afternoon, I spoke to my middle brother. I have bought a new phone for him for three months running. For three months in a row, he has lost his phone. I had told him the last time that he needed to keep better track of his phone, as I am only working part-time right now and cannot afford to spend $100 on a new phone (including month's service) evry month. After all, that sum represents almost half of a week's pay for me.
So, as I was saying, I spoke to him yesterday afternoon. One of his friends had called me, then put my brother on the phone. I was determined not to relent and pay for yet another phone for him...but, tomorrow morning at ten AM, that is what I will do.
After all, he needs to be able to keep in touch with family and that will not happen without a phone. He needs to be able to keep in touch with former employers, so they will know he is available for work. He needs to be able to have a lifeline.
I am the one who decreed it to be so, ever since he had a TIA during the summer of 2010. Thank God he was with his girlfriend, so she was able to call for an ambulance. Of course, she was also part of the problem, as they were both smoking crack at the time. Still, she did call for help, so I give her props for that.
That transpired during a period when he was not paying for a phone. Other materials demanded his money, other fun trips away from the reality of the world. If she had not been with him, he most likely would have died. he would have had this ticking time bomb that no one was aware of and he would have had no means of calling for help.
That was a reality check for him, and also for me. I found I would rather pay for him to have phone service than to risk losing him from my world. So, ever since then, I have made sure he had a phone.
Lately, though, he has been losing phones and aggravating me greatly.
Still, when I neet him tomorrow for this new phone and service, I will probably take him to breakfast, too. I think I can definitely plan on that. And I will take the time to enter his contacts into his phone, so they will be ready for him to use right away.
I am also going to require him to check in with me and his daughter every week, just so we can hear his voice and know he is alive. And so he can hear our voices and know that we care. That way, the phone will be a benefit for all of us, but mostly for him.
As for my youngest brother, I will see him on Sunday. This will be the first time this year that he has been allowed visitation. The prison he is housed in has been on lockdown ever since the beginning of this year. Three inmates deaths in as many weeks, an ineffective and dirty warden, about two hundred (!) cells with nonfunctioning locks, dangerous men able to come and go at will. Very scary stuff.
I have tried to do my best to send him comfort and love this year. Still, nothing beats seeing someone you love in the flesh, you know? To be able to give them a hug and receive one in turn...nothing beats that for comfort. So, I will take the six-hour trip to see him. I will visit with him for the four or five hours we will be given: sharing hugs, eating snack-machine lunches, catching up on sights and sounds to store in memory until the next "live and in person" event. Then I will drive the six hours back home, happier than before.
Hat trick, done.